For those who have been asking for a charging dock with DisplayPort connectivity or additional 4K support, check out our UD-ULTC4K 4K Triple Display Docking Station. For more info click here.

USB 3.1 Type-C is set to revolutionize connectivity. We’ve designed our USB-C Triple Display Docking Station to showcase what this new standard is capable of with flexibility and scalability in mind. More features, less compromise.

Utilizing cutting edge USB 3.1 technologies in conjunction with the tried and tested features of our best-selling UD-3900 docking station, the Plugable UD-ULTCDL Triple Display Docking Station provides up to three additional display outputs via a combination of USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode (“Alt Mode”) and DisplayLink USB graphics. The dock provides up to 60W of power via USB-C Power Delivery (“PD”) standard to charge your host computer while adding Gigabit Ethernet, audio input/output, and expanded USB device connectivity with 4 USB 3.0 Type-A ports and a single USB 3.0 USB-C port. All through a single USB-C cable.

The UD-ULTCDL (nicknamed our “Ultimate” docking station) is the first device of its kind to combine these three powerful, unique, and complementary technologies to unleash the potential of your computer.

In the Box

Plugable UD-ULTCDL dock with stand, 1m USB-C to USB-C cable, and 60W (20V, 3A) power adapter. Units purchased in Europe include both UK and EU compliant power supply (plugs).

Hardware Requirements

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The UD-ULTCDL requires a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 capable system with USB Power Delivery charging, and USB-C Alternate Mode video support. We recommend a dual core Intel or AMD CPU, 2GHz or better. Windows GPU should be Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA.

System Compatibility

Fully Compatible Systems (Alt Mode, PD, and DisplayLink)

USB-C is a new standard with much versatility. As a result, compatibility information is complex. Some USB-C systems support Alt Mode video output, while others do not. Some can be powered and charged via USB-C PD, while others do not.

Many current USB-C systems which do support Alt Mode video output do not support charging via USB-C. Systems such as this will output video from the dock, but will still need their proprietary OEM chargers.

Conversely, while some USB-C phones and tablets may accept charging via PD, most do not support Alt Mode video output.

Legacy System Support (Non USB-C)

The UD-ULTCDL relies upon new functionality introduced with USB 3.1 and as such is not recommended with USB 3.0/2.0 legacy systems. If you have a legacy USB-A (3.0) system we would recommend our UD-3900, UD-5900, or UD-6950 instead.

If attached to a legacy USB 3.0 system using a USB 3.1 rated Type-C to Type-A adapter cable, the dock will have limited functionality and is why we market this dock as incompatible with legacy systems. Only the ports controlled by the DisplayLink chip (two video outputs, audio and Ethernet) will be functional; the Alt Mode video output and USB Power Delivery/Charging will not function on legacy systems.

Please take caution if purchasing a Type-C to Type-A adapter cable as many cables on the market do not follow proper USB Type-C Power Delivery signalling and could potentially cause damage to your system or dock!

Graphics Specifications and Performance

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USB-C Alternate Mode Video Compatibility

The dock’s main HDMI port utilizes USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode which has a direct pipeline to the host graphics processor (GPU), and the connected monitor will perform as if natively attached to the system. Video and photo editing and other resource-intensive tasks are possible assuming that the system’s GPU capabilities are sufficient for the application being used.

When attached to a supported system (see compatibility chart), the Alt Mode HDMI port supports display resolutions up to 4K@30Hz (3840×2160@30Hz) as per the HDMI 1.4 specification. Lower resolutions such as 2560×1440 support 60Hz.

DisplayLink USB Graphics

The 2nd and 3rd graphics outputs (“2K” HDMI and DVI) are powered by DisplayLink DL-3900 USB graphics technology which leverages the host GPU & CPU to render the image. These outputs are recommended for web/productivity software; not recommended for gaming. Driver support for the DisplayLink graphics technology is available for Windows 10, 8.1, and 7, macOS 10.11.x and higher (with some limitations that varies depending on the macOS version). For more information see the Driver Installation section below.

The DisplayLink outputs on the dock can each support a single display up to 1920×1080 (1080p60).

The HDMI “2K” output supports up to 2560×1440, but only when using a single DisplayLink attached display leaving the DVI output disconnected (the Alt Mode HDMI “4K” is independent and does not affect this). 2560×1440 requires a “High Speed” HDMI cable and 2560×1440 mode will operate at a 50Hz refresh rate; all lower modes support 60Hz refresh rate. Please note the attached monitor must natively support 2560×1440 via HDMI input (HDMI to DVI conversion will not support this resolution). Please note that most monitors that support 2560×1600 do not support 2560×1440.

The DisplayLink hardware is capable of supporting nearly arbitrary resolutions, up to its limit of 2560×1440 (HDMI) / 1920×1200 (DVI). VESA standard and widescreen resolutions are supported by most software, including: 2560×1440 (HDMI Only), 1920×1080, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1440×900. 1400×1050, 1280×1024, 1280×768, 1280×720, 1152×864, 1024×768, 800×600, 640×480. For all supported resolutions (other than 2560×1440 which has a 50Hz refresh rate), the display is refreshed at 60Hz, and the hardware is capable of 16, and 32bpp color depths. Some operating systems require specific depths, like 32bpp for Windows Aero support.

DisplayLink-based video outputs do not support HDCP, and will not allow for playback of encrypted Bluray disks or copy-protected content (Blu-Ray, Netflix, Amazon Prime video, etc). Also, the Ethernet connection provided by the DisplayLink chip requires a full-duplex connection. (Most modern Ethernet switches and cables meet these requirements but some switches and cables as well as all Ethernet hubs do not.)

The DL-3900 chipset also manages the audio and gigabit Ethernet functions in the dock.

USB-C Power Delivery Charging

The included power supply can charge compatible host systems with up to 60 watts of PD power. Charging speed is host dependent but behaves as if laptop/tablet were connected to it’s stock charger.

USB ports on the dock function as a USB hub only; no special charging functionality for charging tablets and smartphone devices.

Docking Station Setup Instructions

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Connecting the Dock and Accessories

Connect the docking station to it’s included power adapter and connect the power adapter to an AC outlet. The blue light on the front of the dock should illuminate

Connect the included USB-C to USB-C cable to the rear USB-C port labeled “TO HOST”. This cable will later be connected to the USB-C port on your system

Decide which monitor you want to use as the primary screen and connect this to the HDMI port labeled “4K” HDMI as this port uses USB-C Alt Mode and will provide the best performance

If you have additional monitors you should then connect them to the “2K” HDMI and DVI ports which are provided via DisplayLink USB graphics

Connect any additional accessories such as keyboard, mouse, headset/speakers, and Ethernet

Driver Installation

Windows 10 / Windows 8.1 / Windows 7

Drivers can be installed automatically via Windows Update with support for Windows 10, 8, and 7. Not compatible with ARM-based Windows RT/Surface RT. Note that Microsoft limits multiple display support in Windows 7 “Starter” Edition to mirroring screens. Even though drivers are provided automatically.

DisplayLink’s Windows drivers make use of the main GPU for rendering, and require an Intel, NVIDIA, ATI/AMD primary graphics driver supporting WDDM to be installed. Most systems since Windows 7 satisfy this requirement.

Different USB graphics driver types (DisplayLink, MCT/Tritton, SMSC, Fresco) are not compatible on the same system. In particular, some versions of MCT drivers will bluescreen when other USB graphics drivers are also present. Uninstall other USB graphics driver types before switching types, and stay with a single type (e.g. DisplayLink based) on a single system.

Navigate to your Downloads folder and launch the DisplayLink installation program

Connect the dock when prompted to do so during installation. (If pre-installing drivers before receiving the unit, click “Skip” when given the option during device detection.)NOTE: Monitors may blink during driver installation and system may need to be rebooted

DisplayLink driver support for Linux is still immature, and performance can unpredictable. At this time Plugable does not support DisplayLink based products on Linux, though the UD-ULTCDL docking station will at least provide charging and Alternate Mode video with supported systems.

Additional Information

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HDMI TV Compatibility

The docking station supports HDMI through the 1.4 standard. To use a TV as a monitor via the dock, the TV must support EDID, the extended display identification standard for communicating monitor capabilities to a PC. Many TVs that have a VGA port in addition to an HDMI port assume that computers will use VGA for connectivity rather than HDMI. In these cases, a VGA connection from the PC’s internal video card to the TV might provide the best results.

Touchscreen Compatibility

Touchscreens that do not require drivers and use the host’s operating system’s built-in USB Human Interface drivers (HID) to record touch inputs can be made to work with our products, but Plugable does not provide support for doing so due the complexity of multi-monitor touch screen setups.

Performance Tuning

If you’re experiencing slowness or latency on your display connected to the dock’s “2K” HDMI or DVI ports:

Make sure your dock is connected to a USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 or better port (if available) on your computer. While rare, some USB-C connections are limited to USB 2.0 bandwidth.

By reducing the amount of data that needs to be compressed and sent over USB, you’ll increase responsiveness.

FAQs

Q: I have never used a laptop or desktop with more than one monitor before. Now that my Windows system has more than one display I am not sure how things are supposed to work or how to change them. Do you have any videos that can help?

A: We have a produced a series of short videos that introduce the concepts of multi-monitor setups, how to make changes to the way things behave and how to solve common problems. The direct links to the videos are:

Q: I don't see a power button on the docking station, can the dock turn on my laptop? What about waking my laptop from sleep mode?

A: No, you must press the power button on your laptop. Waking the laptop from sleep mode varies per host system. Not all hosts are setup to wake from external USB devices.

Q: Does the docking station support audio pass through to my display with built-in speaker?

A: Yes, if your display has built in speakers and are connected to our dock via “2K” HDMI, audio should be sent to the display when the Plugable Audio device is set as the Default Playback Device within Windows’ Sound settings. If connected to the “4K” HDMI port, you should see your monitor model identified as an available playback device.

Q: How do I play audio through the headphone jack on the dock or through my monitor attached to the dock?

A: First check if the docking station is set to be your primary playback device in your sound setting’s control panel/system preferences. If you wish for audio to play through the headphone jack on the dock, select “Plugable Audio” as your preferred playback device in your operating system. If your HDMI monitor has speakers or its own headphone jack, you should see your monitor listed as a selectable playback device in your operating system.

Q: What do the blue LED and the green LED on the Plugable UD-ULTCDL indicate?

A: The blue LED indicates that the Plugable UD-ULTCDL is being powered by its power adapter. The green LED lights up and stays steady when a device is connected through any of the 5 USB ports on the dock. If no devices are connected to the USB ports on the Plugable UD-ULTCDL, the green LED only lights up for around five seconds when the dock itself is connected to the upstream system.

Q: What's the difference in USB-C ports on the front and rear of the docking station?

A: The USB-C port located on the back side of the docking station is designed to charge your host computer as well as connect the docking station to the host machine. The front facing USB-C port is for device connectivity only and is part of the built-in USB 3.0 hub on the front facing USB 3.0 (type-A) ports.

Q: Can I use this USB-C docking station with an Intel Thunderbolt 3 capable system?

A: Yes, here is a diagram to help understand the differences between the different USB generations and Thunderbolt 3:

Q: Does the Alt Mode HDMI port support 4K resolution at 60Hz?

A: No. The port complies with HDMI 1.4, and as such 3840×2160 is only achievable at 30Hz. 2560×1440 and all lower resolutions will display at 60Hz.

Q: Can I hook up another USB-C Alt Mode video adapter to the USB-C port on the front of the dock?

A: No, for a couple of reasons. USB-C systems only support one “Alternate Mode” output, and for a USB-C port to support this feature it must be physically wired to the graphics processor (GPU) in the host system. The one available Alt Mode connection from a host system is being used by the docking station to provide its HDMI output. Additionally, the USB-C port on the front of the dock is not wired in such a way to support this functionality.

Q: Can I connect a DisplayPort monitor to this dock with an adapter?

A: No, converting HDMI or DVI output to DisplayPort would require an expensive and complex active adapter (with a built in signal converter chipset). While technically possible, we do not support this configuration. Please note passive HDMI/DVI to DisplayPort adapters/cables will not function with this dock. If you need DisplayPort for your monitors, please take a look at our UD-ULTC4K docking station.

Q: Can I use the dock in conjunction with a KVM switch?

A: No, Plugable does not recommend or support using our dock with a traditional KVM switch. If you simply need to share the dock between two systems, the dock can be manually disconnected from the first system and then manually connected to the second system.

Q: Can I connect my Apple SuperDrive to the dock?

A: Some devices such as the Apple SuperDrive look for Apple-specific signaling and will not work when connected through any USB hub. See Apple HT201788.

Q: Can I game on this docking station? Is NVIDIA Surround or AMD Eyefinity supported?

A: Gaming is possible over the 4K HDMI display output as that is tied directly into the host system’s GPU via USB-C Alternate Mode.

Surround gaming is not possible as the “2K” HDMI and DVI display outputs are USB graphics devices – USB graphics devices, like the UD-ULTCDL, are “virtual” devices where much of the heavy lifting is done by the CPU, by hooking into the graphics stack. The DirectX APIs used by games assume direct hardware access (a PCIe graphics card or USB-C Alternate Mode). DisplayLink’s drivers attempt to emulate as much of the functionality as possible, which is why some 3D functionality (like that needed for desktop and apps) works.

We don’t recommend running games with USB graphics, because this emulation cannot be perfect. And even without specific compatibility problems, performance will always be a challenge – the extra CPU work required for USB graphics will be a source of reduced frame rates and problems. Normal desktop and application use are fine because they don’t push the system as hard as 3D games do.

Common problems experienced when trying to run a game on a USB graphics adapter include:

Games not launching

Games crashing

Screen flickering

Screen going black

Q: What do the green and amber LEDs on the Ethernet port on the Plugable UD-ULTCDL indicate?

A: The green link LED on the Ethernet port on the Plugable UD-ULTCDL is an indication that the Ethernet cable plugged into the port is live and it stays steady as long as the live cable is plugged in. The blinking amber activity LED is an indications that data is transferring through the port. Both these LEDs will not light up when:

The drivers for the dock have not installed properly or is corrupted

The Ethernet Cable plugged in is not live or is faulty

The Ethernet cable is connected to a device that requires a half-duplex connection (see next question)

The port has failed, please contact us at support@plugable.com as we’re always happy to help!

Troubleshooting

Problem: I have confirmed my host machine is compatible with this docking station but one or more functions of the dock doesn't appear to be working.

Solution: Resetting the docking station is a good step to take if one or more portions of the dock aren’t functioning:

Disconnect docking station from host machine and power adapter

Leave unplugged for 1 minute for power to dissipate

Connect docking station initially into power only and confirm blue indicator light is on

Connect docking station to host machine using USB-C cable and test for functionality

If the above steps do not change the behavior, rebooting the host system may restore functionality

If none of the indicator lights are lit or you are still are having problems, please contact us at support@plugable.com as we’re always happy to help!

Problem: My docking station not charging my laptop?

Solution: Verify if your system supports PD over USB-C and also identify which port has this functionality if multiple USB-C ports are available. Please note that some systems that charge over USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 may not support charging from universal docks and may only charge from approved chargers and devices from the system manufacturer.

Problem: I installed the dock on my laptop and everything works well with the laptop lid open. However, when I close the laptop lid the monitors connected to the dock turn off and the laptop shuts down. How do I fix this?

Solution: Windows has special power management settings that control what happens when the laptop lid is closed. If this happening, these settings need to be changed. Please right-click on the Start button and select ‘Power Options’ from the menu.

From the choices present on the left-hand side of the Power Options window, please click on ‘Choose what closing the lid does’. ** Important note – if you are running the Creators Update (or newer) to Windows 10, you will have click on the ‘Additional power settings’ option to access this window **

Make sure the setting for ‘When I close the lid’ under the ‘Plugged In’ column is set to ‘Do Nothing’. Click the ‘Save Changes’ button and restart the system, making sure that the laptop’s power adapter is also connected, and test the behavior again.

Solution: This behavior is system specific. Many newer systems will not wake via an external keyboard or mouse. (This behavior can be confirmed by connecting a USB keyboard or mouse directly to a USB port on your system rather than the dock. If the system is unable to wake from a direct-attached USB device, it will not wake from a keyboard or mouse connected through the docking station.

Problem: When I plug an Ethernet cable into the dock, none of the LEDs light up, and I do not get assigned a valid IP address. What could be causing this?

Solution: The Ethernet controller in the docking station requires a full duplex connection. Half duplex connections are not supported.

Often, the issue is caused by older Ethernet hubs and/or cabling that do not support full duplex connections.

Problem: Why does my wireless mouse or keyboard appear sluggish or not work properly when used with the dock?

Solution: Most USB receivers for wireless mice and keyboards operate in the 2.4Ghz band. When connecting the receiver to any USB 3.0 port there is potential for interference that can affect the devices performance. The most effective method is to add a short USB 2.0 extension cable between the dock and the receiver to mitigate the effect, and many wireless keyboards and mice come with such a cable for this reason.

Problem: When I connect the dock to my system, my internal Wi-Fi adapter stops working or suffers from poor performance. Why is this happening?

Solution There are several factors that can cause this to happen, along with several potential fixes. Please see our blog post on the topic for more information.

Problem: I cannot use my Intel, Nvidia, or AMD/ATI graphics utility to manage the monitors connected to the dock. Why is this?

Solution: The utilities provided by Intel, Nvidia and AMD/ATI are designed to only recognize and work with graphics adapters made by their respective manufacturers and they will not recognize USB-attached displays connected to the dock. It is recommended to use the facilities built-in to Windows to manage the displays connected to the dock (‘Display Settings’ on Windows 10 and ‘Screen Resolution’ on Windows 8.1 and 7).

Problem: While I can adjust the brightness of my internal laptop display or directly connected external display using the Windows Display Settings application, this option is grayed out and not available for the displays attached to the dock. Is something wrong?

Solution: Windows does not have the ability to adjust the brightness of a USB-attached display, so the behavior is expected. We recommend making use of the display’s internal on-screen menu options to adjust the brightness.

Problem Why does the “Display Color Calibration” tool in Windows seems to have no effect on the display(s) attached to my dock?

Solution: The DisplayLink GPU does not support color calibration functionality. Most monitors have built-in controls that can be used to adjust the characteristics of the display, though we realize this approach may not be ideal in all cases. For environments that necessitate near-perfect color reproduction and display calibration capabilities via software, a dedicated graphics card is recommended.

Problem: I use an application to change the color of my display to make it easier to see (like the f.lux application) but it doesn’t seem to affect the display I have connected to the dock. Why is this?

Solution: As mentioned above, the DisplayLink driver does not currently support this type of color adjustment so applications like f.lux will not affect displays connected to the dock. DisplayLink (the maker of the chip in the dock and author of the driver) is working to add this functionality in the future. Please see this post on the DisplayLink website for more information and the current state of the project.

Problem: When I right-click in the Chrome browser, the context menu opens on a different display than the application is on. What causes this?

Solution: This behavior has been known to occur in rare instances, and is a known bug in the Chrome browser being tracked by the Chrome developers. Please see this Chromium Issue for the most recent updates.

Problem: After a recent update, when I use Chrome on my Mac or Windows system with a USB graphics device, the window looks distorted. Is there a workaround?

Solution: Some versions of Chrome have had regressions which cause graphical distortion when Chrome windows are in use on USB-attached monitors.

Usually this issue is fixed promptly in the next Chrome release, but if it persists the best current workaround is to disable hardware acceleration in the Chrome settings. To do so: Click the Chrome menu header -> Preferences -> Settings -> Show advanced settings -> Scroll down to “System” -> Uncheck “Use hardware acceleration when available”.

To help make Google aware of the issue so they can properly prioritize fixing it, affected users can report the regression to Google using the built-in bug reporter: Preferences -> About -> Report an issue

Problem: After the Windows Anniversary or Creators Update, applications that make use of OpenGL (like SketchUp for example) are not working properly and/or produce an error message when launched while the dock is connected to my system. Why is this happening and how do I fix this?

Solution: Microsoft and DisplayLink (the maker of the chip in our dock and author of the driver) have identified a bug within the Windows 10 Anniversary and Creators Update. With the Anniversary or Creators Update to Windows 10, Microsoft has now integrated support for the DisplayLink technology used in our docking station into Windows itself, and in certain cases applications which make use of OpenGL may not work as expected.

In some instances, Windows mistakenly directs the tasks intended for the system’s internal graphics adapter (which does support OpenGL) to the DisplayLink-based docking station. Our docking station is not a traditional graphics adapter in and of itself (it relies on the CPU and internal graphics adapter to work), and this results in the incorrect behavior or error message. DisplayLink speaks to this issue directly here -> http://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/942862-my-device-is-not-working-properly-on-windows-10-an (under the section ‘OPENGL 1.1 REPORTED INSTEAD OF 4.X’)

Pending Microsoft fixing the issue within Windows itself, there are two possible workarounds. The first is to configure Windows to have the ‘Main’ display set to a display directly connected to your internal graphics adapter, whether that is an internal laptop display or another external display connected to one of the systems built-in video outputs (a quick guide to doing so is here -> https://youtu.be/7nnKztRZXsw).

If that doesn’t prove a suitable workaround, booting the system without the dock connected, launching SketchUp (or any other OpenGL application), and then connecting the dock may also help.

Please note that the HDMI port on this dock is unaffected by this as that output is driven directly from the host computer graphics chipset over USB-C Alternate Mode video.